1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photographic processing managing method and to a method and apparatus for managing image forming devices, and in particular, relates to a photographic processing condition managing method which determines the state of a processing solution in an image forming device and manages the processing conditions, and to a method and apparatus for managing image forming devices which manage each of a plurality of image forming devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
In photographic processing, usually, a negative film on which images are photographed (exposed) is immersed by a film processor in various types of processing solutions so as to undergo processing, and the images developed on the negative film are exposed onto a photographic printing paper by a color printer. The photographic printing paper on which the images are exposed is immersed by a paper processor in various types of processing solutions so as to undergo processing. Prints corresponding to the photographed images are thereby obtained. Over a long period of use, the performance of the processing solutions such as developing solution deteriorates due to effects such as excess or deficient replenishing solution, oxidization of the replenishing solution, evaporation of the processing solution, contaminating by solutions of previous processes, and the like. Accordingly, in order to always maintain the quality of the prints at a satisfactory level, it is necessary to always manage the states of the processing solutions of the film processor and the paper processor.
Conventionally, a film processor control strip, which is formed by exposing a plurality of images onto a film at various different conditions, is processed at the film processor. A paper processor control strip, which is formed by exposing a plurality of images onto a photographic printing paper at various different conditions, is processed at the paper processor. The densities of the images appearing on the processed control strips are respectively measured. The measured image densities are compared with a reference density, and the states of the processing solutions of each of the processors are managed.
However, managing the states of the processing solutions by using control strips must be carried out periodically, and accordingly, the burden on the operator is great. Further, much work is involved in manufacturing the control strips, and the handling thereof is troublesome because the control strips must be stored such that fogging or the like does not occur. Moreover, even if the control strips are stored such that fogging or the like does not occur, the control strips gradually deteriorate as time passes from the time they are manufactured. Therefore, a drawback arises in that the evaluation of the states of the processing solutions varies in accordance with the rate of deterioration of the control strips.
Accordingly, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-291643 discloses successively storing and accumulating data regarding the states of the exposure section and the developing section of a photographic processing device such as a printer processor, together with the times at which the data was stored, and displaying the stored contents in time sequence. Although preparation and the like of a management chart for managing the states of the processing solutions is thereby facilitated, the control strips must still be used. Therefore, the complex work involved in storing the control strips and the like in order to determine and manage the states of the processing solutions is necessary.
In order to obtain high quality prints, in addition to managing the states of the processing solutions as described above, it is also necessary to set appropriate reference exposure conditions as the reference exposure conditions used in calculating the exposure conditions at the printer. Therefore, although work for setting the reference exposure condition is carried out when the printer is installed, the appropriate exposure conditions vary when photographic printing papers of different paper types or lots are used, or when the exposure lamp is changed, or when a processing solution is changed, or in other such cases. Therefore, it is necessary to correct the reference exposure conditions.
Setting and correction of the reference exposure conditions is carried out by comparing the density of a test print, which is exposed and developed from a condition setting film, and the density (target density) of a reference print, which is exposed and developed in advance (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-36775). Films which have a portion, which corresponds to the average color of a photographed subject, at the periphery of a portion, which corresponds to a negative in which a gray subject has been photographed, or the like can be used as the condition setting film. Further, a color printer has been proposed in which, when a developed test print is set, the density of the set test print is automatically measured, and the reference exposure conditions are automatically corrected (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-75311).